Retail Fight: Prepare for the Holidays

Target is ramping up its efforts to compete with rivals Walmart and Amazon by offering free two-day shipping on online orders during the holiday season. Khadeeja Safdar reports in The Wall Street Journal:

Target Corp. TGT +0.77% said it plans to offer free two-day shipping on online orders this holiday season, undercutting competitors like Amazon.com Inc. AMZN -0.61% and WalmartInc. WMT +0.51% that have requirements for similar services.

The Minneapolis-based retailer on Tuesday said starting Nov. 1 until Dec. 22, it will offer the service on hundreds of thousands of items without a minimum purchase or membership, a shift from earlier this year when shoppers could receive free shipping only if they spent $35 or used a Target loyalty card.

Walmart Inc. offers free two-day shipping on orders $35 and up, and Amazon offers the services to customers who pay $119 a year for a Prime membership. U.S. retailers are gearing up to compete for shoppers during the holidays, when they derive most of their annual sales.

A robust U.S. economy has been boosting sales at many retailers. Target has lowered prices and invested in its stores and supply chain, helping it improve further after lackluster earnings last season. Last quarter, the company posted its best results in more than a decade.